The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Torenia hybrida plant obtained from crossing `Crown Violet` (non-patented in the United States) (.female.) and `Con Color` (non-patented in the United States) (.male.).
The Torenia (i.e., wishbone flower) is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the torenia plant which have a semi-erect growth habit, and a high resistance to heat and diseases. The typical Torenia plant needs full sunshine and hardly grows or flowers when grown in the shade. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a great profusion of flowers with brilliant purple and deep purple bi-colored flower petals and brilliant purple floral tube, a semi-erect growth habit, a high resistance to heat, a moderate resistance to diseases, and the ability to grow and flower in the shade while retaining a semi-erect growth habit. When typical torenia plants are grown in the shade, they commonly assume a spindly growth habit and no longer exhibit a semi-erect growth habit and tend not to flower.
The new variety of Torenia plant according to this invention is an interspecific hybrid originated from crossing the `Con Color` variety of Torenia concolor as pollen parent and the `Crown Violet` variety of Torenia fournieri having purplish-white flower petals as female parent.
Initially, 25 ovules were obtained from crossing the `Con Color` variety and the `Crown Violet` variety which has purplish-white flower petals in the spring of 1993 in the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. More specifically, seven days after crossing the ovules were removed from ovaries and were cultured in vitro. These 25 ovules were sprouted, grown and plants were obtained. Subsequently they were grown in a bed and in pots as a trial beginning in the summer of 1993. The botanical characteristics of the plants were examined, using parent varieties `Crown Violet` and `Con Color`, for comparison. As a result, only one plant was selected. It was concluded that this one torenia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics following asexual reproduction by cuttings. This new variety of Torenia plant was named `Sunrenidibu`.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Color Chart), and the Inter-Society color Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
Torenia fournieri `Crown Violet` having violet petals was the female parent which was used in the formation of this new `Sunrenidibu` variety, and was one of the Crown Series bred by the Sakata Seed Corp., Japan. The Crown Series includes plants having purplish blue flower petals, white flower petals, bi-colored of white and purplish blue and the like, and these plants are commonly characterized by a high resistance to heat and are commercially available in Japan. The main botanical characteristics of `Crown Violet` are as follows.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Low resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat, and low tolerance to cold. Typically this plant cannot maintain a semi-erect growth habit or flower well when grown in the shade. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat, and low tolerance of cold.
Growth habit.--Erect. PA2 Plant height.--20-30 cm. PA2 Plant width.--30-50 cm. PA2 Diameter.--3.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Slight. PA2 Pubescence.--Slight. PA2 Length of internode.--1-3 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Ovate to ovate-lanceolate. PA2 Apex.--Acute. PA2 Base.--Cordate. PA2 Length.--2.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Deep. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Slight. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Soft violet (R.H.S. 92C, JHS 8008). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color; purplish white (R.H.S. 62D, JHS 8001). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Vivid yellow (R.H.S. 17C, JHS 2507). PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthrocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium. PA2 Growth habit.--Decumbent. PA2 Plant height.--10-15 cm. PA2 Plant width.--50-70 cm. PA2 Diameter.--1.5 mm. PA2 Anthrocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Profuse. PA2 Pubescence.--Slight. PA2 Length of internode.--4-6 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Ovate to ovate-cordate. PA2 Length.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Medium. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Slight. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Moderate Purple (R.H.S. 83B, JHS 8613). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color, Deep purple (R.H.S. 89C, JHS 8311). PA2 Eye coloration.--Lacking. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthrocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 3.0-5.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium.
Torenia concolor `Con Color` which was used as the male parent in the crossing of this new `Sunrenidibu` variety, is one of the Con Color Series bred by the Sakata Seed Corp., Japan. The Con Color Series includes plants having violet flower petal, bi-colored of strong purple and pale purple and the like, and these plants are commonly characterized by a high resistance to heat and are commercially available in Japan. The main botanical characteristics of `Con Color` are as follows.